Mitigation Efforts Calculator (MEC): An online calculator for interactive comparison of mitigation efforts between UNFCCC Annex 1 countries

The Mitigation Efforts Calculator (MEC) has been developed by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) as an online tool to compare greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation proposals by various countries for the year 2020. In this paper, first we introduce the MEC conceptual model, i.e. the methodology and system architecture. Hereafter, the optimization process and its output results, namely cost curves are presented. We then discuss the abstract formulation of four different international greenhouse gas trading regimes that are conceivable. Finally, we illustrate the MEC as a tool for interactively evaluating complex cost curve information in the context of GHG mitigation targets as currently discussed in international climate policy circles